Three officers, K-9 killed in ‘tactical ambush’ in Floyd County

The Louisa police and fire departments honoredtheir fallen brothers and the wounded survivors from Floyd County on July 2.

By Lilly Adkins
BSN Associate Editor

ALLEN — Gov. Andy Beshear ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise on Tuesday, July 5, to sunset on Thursday, July 7, in honor of Floyd County peace officers who died after being shot in a standoff on Thursday.Killed during the incident were Captain Ralph Frasure, a 39-year law enforcement veteran who served with the Prestonsburg Police Department since 1983; Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy William Petry, a 31-year law enforcement veteran who served two years with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, 15 years with the Kentucky State Police and 14 years with the Prestonsburg Police Department; Officer Jacob Chaffins, a three-year law enforcement veteran who had served with the Prestonsburg Police Department since 2019; and K-9 Drago, a Belgian Melinois German Shepherd drug detection canine and a six-year veteran with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the officer-involved shootings, which occurred Thursday at approximately 6:44 p.m.Four other law enforcement officers received injuries, two of which remain in the hospital in stable condition; and one officer was treated and released, a release issued by the KSP said.Additionally, one civilian was injured during the incident and was receiving medical care at a hospital, the release also said.Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton, County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams, Floyd County Attorney Keith Bartley, Sheriff John Hunt, Deputy Chief of Prestonsburg Police Department, Lt. Col. Ross Shurleff, Prestonsburg Police Chief Randy Woods and state Rep. Ashley Tackett Lafferty held a press conference Sunday and talked about some of the events leading up to the shootings.Williams said they wanted to get correct information to let citizens know what had happened.“Lance Storz, 49, of Allen, opened fire with a high-powered rifle on units with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office while trying to serve an EPO,” Williams said. “Multiple officers were shot, and others were pinned under a car.”Williams said that the additional responding officers didn’t know that they were walking into a “tactical ambush” and that the shooter had an “unabated line of fire” with the home in an elevated position.“The officers performed valiantly,” Williams said. “The suspect surrendered at approximately 10 p.m.”Hunt explained the incident and what led to the shooting.“At 2 p.m. on Thursday, the sheriff’s office received a phone call from a person, possibly a family member, who detailed that she had gotten a text from the suspect’s wife that she was being held against her will and that she needed help,” Hunt said. “Two deputies went to the residence at 49 Railroad Street, and a female was outside and she ran to them to get in the car. She said he was asleep and she had to get out of there. She said her daughter was somewhere else and that they had to go and get her. The deputies took her to a safe place and she said she had been held against her will, barricaded in for a number of days and only when he went to sleep, was she able to text a relative to summons for help.”Hunt said that the Mountain Comp Crisis Center issued the wife a protection order. She said she had been raped, among other things, so she was taken to Highlands ARH, where she remained for a few hours.“The officers waited for the EPO to get signed and after it was signed, they were going to get him and serve him and arrest him for fourth-degree assault,” Hunt said. “The wife said he had firearms in that house. Deputies didn’t know how many and so they asked two others to go with them. Petry and Hall were the first two officers and Newsome and Lawson were eating lunch at Giovannis in Martin. They met up with Petry and Hall at the residence. As the deputies got closer to the door, one of the officers noticed the suspect was in the window. As they got closer to the door, he opened it and Petry was the first one shot. Hall rolled under a car and hid there for hours to come. Lawson rolled out of his vehicle and was immediately shot. Newsome dragged Lawson out of his vehicle and hollered for help.”Shurtleff said they didn’t want to talk about what happened that day since it was an ongoing investigation, but that they instead thanked Pikeville Police Department, Frankfort Police Department, Huntington, W.Va. Police Department and everyone who has shown their support. He also said that both Petry and Frazier’s services would be at Nelson Frazier Funeral Home and Chafins’ service would be at Tom’s Creek Freewill Baptist Church.Shurtleff also announced that a candlelight vigil would be held that night at Prestonsburg High School.Woods said that it was “devastation in our community” and that all they could do is hold the line for those that have fallen and to pray for the families.“No matter the color of the uniform, we’re all the same inside,” Woods said.Bartley said that in addition to the ones killed, a constable, a state police officer and the DES director had also been shot.“They put their lives on the line every day,” Bartley said. “This is an ongoing investigation. I was there, too, and watched it unfold.”“We appreciate our first responders and the sacrifices you make every day,” Laferty said.Williams explained that they had been receiving donations to help the families and that they have thus far collected well over $40,000.“One funeral is $10,000, and we have others in the hospital who are having surgeries, and their families are there, so there is the cost of a hotel,” Williams said.Hunt also said that celebrities had reached out and set up to collect donations and that some were through the Floyd County Community Foundation, which has set up the Floyd County Crisis Fund.The funds will be used to help the officers, their families and the departments involved. Donations can be made online at http://bit.ly/FloydCF.Bartley said he knows from being there that Storz had multiple weapons and lots of ammunition.Hunt added that deputies said they witnessed the suspect with a body-armored vest.Bartley said that when he was on his way to the location he thought one officer was shot and he wanted to make sure everything was done correctly. While on his way, he saw a lot of KSP officers at a gas station and he stopped, but he didn’t know any of them and they didn’t know him, which was unusual, so he knew they were from elsewhere.“I told them they were in the wrong spot, so I led the officers from there into a war zone. I led the parade,” Bartley said. “From there, all hell unfolded right in front of my eyes. It was nothing like what I thought.”Someone asked about a motive during the press conference.“Why does it matter what his motive is, there’s nothing more wrong than what he did,” Bartley said. “Who cares about his motive.”Someone asked about the condition of the others, and Williams said he had gotten permission to let them know the others condition.“Constable Gary Wolf got shrapnel and glass in his eyes, had surgery and will have to have two more. The shot came through the windshield; Joe Renolds got shot in the eye and he will lose his left eye; Darrin Lawson was shot in the leg, and we pray he will keep his leg,” Williams said. “A state police was shot, and I believe his vest saved him.”“Emotionally and mentally, there is suffering beyond belief,” Bartley said.Someone asked about the death penalty and whether it would be sought in the case.Bartley said that it was up to the commonwealth attorney’s office to make that determination.“Death ain’t good enough for that son of a bitch,” Bartley said. “There should be a special place in hell.”Hunt said there would also be a ceremony for Drago, and that his handler is physically okay, but is missing his partner.Woods explained that Chafins was the handler of the Prestonsburg Police Department’s K-9, Nelson. and that they will be retiring Nelson.“He is part of their family and they will take possession of Nelson,” Woods said.“I want to make one thing perfectly clear, there will be a new priority moving forward and enshrining families and officers in stone,” Shurtleff said. “Jake left behind a wife and a six-year-old daughter. Ralph left behind a wife, a daughter and two sons, one of which is a police officer, and he was there that day as well as his grandchildren. And Petry left behind a wife and a son. I am going to make it my life’s mission, my new normal will include them as long as we draw a breath of air.”Kory Caudill, son of the former Mountain Arts Center Director Keith Caudill, lives in Tennessee, but still keeps up with his hometown, and on his Facebook page is asking on behalf of the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and their families for a donation to a fund that was set up in their honor.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky issued a statement on Friday, regarding the shooting incident.“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky is aware of the Floyd County shooting incident involving law enforcement, which occurred late yesterday and into the early morning hours of today. As the investigation of this incident progresses, we stand with our local and state law enforcement partners,” U.S. Attorney, for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Carlton S. Shier said. “We are offering our support and our federal resources to assist them in their investigation of this shooting. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic event, especially the family members, friends, and colleagues of the law enforcement and first responders lost or injured.”“Please continue to remember all those concerned. Those who mourn, those who are still fighting, and those who are trying to cope with it all,” Johnson County Sheriff, Doug Saylor said.“It’s hard to find words over this horrific tragedy! Let’s us all join in prayers for these honorable law enforcement officer’s families, who lost their lives trying to serve and protect their community! May God comfort their families as only he can do. May they Rest In Peace!” Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said.The investigation into the incident remains ongoing, according to the KSP release.Storz, 49, of Allen, was charged at the time of his arrest with two counts of murder of a police officer, but Chaffins died since his arrest. He is also charged with five counts of attempted murder of a police officer and first-degree assault on a service animal and more charges are possible.Storz pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is being held in the Pike County Detention Center on a $10 million bond.Visitation for Petry started Sunday at Nelson-Frazier Funeral Home in Martin and continued Monday. His funeral was Tuesday at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg.Visitation for Frasure started Monday, also at Nelson-Frazier Funeral Home and continued Tuesday. His funeral will be today (Wednesday) at 1 p.m. at the MAC.Visitation for Chaffins started Tuesday at Tom’s Creek Freewill Baptist Church in Ivel. His funeral will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at the MAC. A memorial will be held for Drago Friday evening, with more information to be released.